White balance/exposure tweaks and a movie mode are simply executed, though aside from Skype it's fit only for briefly amusing children.

Internet

The vanilla Android browser is one of the few areas where the Arc disappoints, with an overall slow experience.

Flash isn't supported natively, and while workarounds are available they may be beyond the interest of many of this tablet's demographic. Any fixes we tried only yielded partial results anyway.

The Flash issue can't be solved by opting for Google's own Chrome browser, but doing so does increase browsing speed.

Zooming-in and out of pages while using either browser is excellent, with plenty of sharp detail amid a fluid experience that never stalls.

Opt for Chrome and you'll have to use bookmarks since only the native browser includes the 'Pin Image To Tapestry' and 'Set As Wallpaper' options for images.

Google Now, a new feature thanks to the Android Jelly Bean firmware update, works well. Swipe up from the bottom of the Kobo Arc's screen in either portrait or landscape orientation and a small white rings appears intersected by a small Google logo. It then transits to a search box and the keyboard. Say "Google" and a Speak Now written message appears next to a pulsing microphone.

In our test, asking: "what is the weather?" in Google Now instantly brought up an app telling us the local weather, along with a spoken summary, telling us "it's 43 degrees and cloudy in Cardiff".

There are also semi-permanent cards showing photo spots nearby and places nearby - the latter largely being restaurants and pubs.

From here you need to press the microphone rather than just saying "Google", but by saying "how do I get to…" the Kobo Arc replies that it's getting directions, before producing clear Google Maps and turn-by-turn directions that can be made available offline.

It's pretty efficient stuff - asking "when is my next appointment?" solicited an instant response, both spoken and onscreen, of a train journey planned for the next day. However, "is there a Thai restaurant nearby?", though understood, produced three choices, one each in Manchester, London and Singapore. Whoops.

Sadly we weren't able to successfully download open source ePUB ebooks from sites like Project Gutenberg, having to rely instead on reading the text files online.

Kobo Arc gets to know you. As you build your multimedia collection, Kobo Arc will recommend content based on your tastes and preferences. So you get more of the content you love without searching for it.

Everything you love at your fingertips

Don't dig through your collection - your Kobo Arc keeps your content on the surface so you don't have to go searching. It's all there on the home screen. Kobo's exclusive interface, Tapestries, allows you to organize your content thematically and pin content you find interesting into customized groups. Based on content you've pinned to your Tapestries, Kobo Arc learns what you're into and suggests content that reflects your personality and interests.